


Hark the Herald!

by GoldSparrow



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Canon, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Rewrite, Death, Druid Ghost, Druids, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Ghosts, Herald of a New Age, Kinda, Magic, Merlin's Magic Revealed (Merlin), Parent Gaius (Merlin), Possession, Protective Arthur, Spirits, Violence, horror?, s04ep10
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-07
Updated: 2019-08-30
Packaged: 2020-08-10 10:23:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20133919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoldSparrow/pseuds/GoldSparrow
Summary: ~~S4E10 Herald of a New Age AU~~A "what if Merlin got possessed by the druid boy and tried to kill Arthur instead of Elyan?! scenario.OR(Arthur’s company of knights stumble upon a druid shrine, and despite Merlin's own warnings he accidentally disturbs the spirit’s resting place. With the spirit out for vengeance, how on earth can Arthur survive when the great Emrys is his enemy?!)





	1. Scares and Nightmares

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Note: Gwen is still a servant at this point and her being enchanted to love Lancelot never happened*
> 
> I’m incredibly excited to say this my first ever fanfic! (Well, kind of. First one that I have am posting though I still have many others in the works.) 
> 
> Please disregard any grammar issues, as I didn’t have anyone to beta, but if you see anything please let me know!  
*or if anyone wants to beta for me please comment below*  
Hope you enjoy, any feedback would be very welcome!

“Alright, who drank the rest of my water?” Merlin glances around the knights’ resting spot in annoyance after having watched one mere droplet fall from his recently filled waterskin.

“I don’t know Merlin, who’d want to risk getting _your_ cooties?” Arthur jests, adjusting his horses’ pack a few feet away.

Gwaine burps. The company look his way.

He gives an innocent shrug. “Guilty as charged,” he chuckles, “Sorry mate—I was thirsty.”

Leon sits up from a log. “Have some of mine Merlin.” He walks through the brush with arm extended, waterskin in hand. Merlin smiles and reaches to take it but Leon flips it behind to Elyan. The knights chuckle.

Merlin rolls his eyes in with a small smirk. “Ha ha. Very funny.” 

Elyan walks forward. “Here—unlike these arrogant fools I actually _share_ with my friends.” Merlin gives a placated look but it changes to annoyance as Elyan instead throws his waterskin to Arthur. 

The knights laugh harder and Leon almost falls off his log.

“Oh I see, this is a pick-on-_Merlin_ day is it?” Merlin mutters.

“Isn’t that everyday?” Percival goes over and ruffles the young manservant’s hair and Merlin scoffs, somehow managing to push the larger man off. 

Arthur watches the exchange with amusement, when he sees a flash of movement out of the corner of his eye. Arthur squints and his gaze fixes upon something colorful in a small clearing beyond their resting point. “Shh!” Arthur steps forward quietly, drawing his sword.

Merlin stands. “What is it?”

“I saw something through the trees, come on…” He gestures, and the knights draw their swords and follow Merlin and their young king down a hill into a sloped clearing surrounded by fog and cluttered with large boulders. 

Through the wisps of the grey mist flutter hundreds of colorful strips of cloth, strung on thin ropes crisscrossing across the whole width of the clearing. The men look at each other but then press forward silently with swords drawn, the atmosphere of the place weighing heavier upon their backs than their thick metal armor. Peculiar-looking wind chimes made from thin broken tree branches cast unwelcoming shadows on the forest floor. No bird sang, nor animal dared breathe in the space. The silence was deafening. 

The men make it to the center of the expanse, where stood a small mossy well with water which was strangely crystal clear even though one could tell that the water had not been drawn for many years.

“What is this place?” Percival asks, breaking the eerie silence. 

Merlin looks around wearily. He can sense a malevolent magic on all sides. “This—is a shrine. In the time of the Old Religion druids built shrines like this to appease restless spirits…we shouldn’t be here. Gaius told me about places like this. They’re said to be cursed…” 

The strips of cloth flow gently back and forth in the wind, as if moved by low whispers. The men send perplexed looks around to each other, shifting on their feet. 

Suddenly, a crow screams through the clearing then dives back into the forest with a flutter of wings. The men flinch, but Merlin just about jumps out of his skin. 

“There’s your spirit Merlin,” Leon snickers. The tension broken, the knights chuckle along and lower their swords.

“This isn’t funny!—This place is dangerous! I swear if—"

Merlin rattles on, but Arthur doesn’t listen. He looks around the area with a confused look, but then shakes his head. “There’s nothing here for us. Let’s move out.” Arthur sheaths his sword and begins walking to their camp. The other knights dawdle but begin to do so as well.

Merlin sighs in relief and turns to walk away when he hears a _sob._ His head flips behind, heart beating, eyes and ears searching for the sound. 

A small childlike cry rings again, and Merlin’s eyes lock with the well. His feet are pulled forward slowly until he is looking inside the calm glassy surface. He stares into the darker depths of water intently, sensing some strange type of presence…when suddenly, invisible hands from behind shove him with a shout. Merlin's jumps and he loses balance. Before he can even try to catch himself, he slips and falls headfirst into the well.

Underneath the icy cold, the presence awakens. A thousand sounds and visions begin to bubble up from the bottom of the well. Childlike sobs and women's screams are accompanied by the the images of thundering feet and the steely slashing of metal. Merlin sees flashes of fires and running shadows and streaks of red painting the earth. He sees bodies fall and tears flow. The images burn like hot nails thrust into his brain. Merlin winces and tries to break his eyes from the visions in the water, tries to will himself back to the surface, but something malevolent keeps him there, holds him fast and tries to drag him under. 

Merlin struggles against the invisible force and accidentally takes in a breath of water. He gags and his lungs flutter uncontrollably. He feels his consciousness and will fading, like any second he would about to be swallowed by the presence of the waters... 

A pair of panicky hands grab his tunic. Two other pairs of hands quickly aid the other and jerk Merlin from out of the well back into the cold morning air. Breaking the surface of the water, Merlin vivifies and tries to gasp in a breath of air, but then finds that impossible and coughs up some water. After a hiccup he regains his ability to breathe and his hammering heart begins to steady in his chest. 

“Woa! Sorry there! Didn’t think I’d—” stutters Gwaine, hands on Merlin’s back with Elyan and Percival still holding his tunic and casting worried looks behind him. “Was just trying a bit of a scare but didn’t expect you’d slip in—"

Percival hits Gwaine on the back of the head. Gwaine shuffles his long brown hair head albeit sheepishly, “I mean—my bad, sorry for scarin' you mate…”

“Why didn’t you pull me out immediately?” Merlin gasps, shivering.

Gwaine gives a puzzled look. “What do you mean? We pulled you out as soon as you fell in. Couldn’t have been underneath for 2 seconds.”

Merlin stares, confused. The knights don’t notice.

“Here Merlin.” Percival takes off his large red cloak and drapes it over Merlin’s soaking shoulders, then gives him a soft pat on the back. “Come on, let’s get you back home quickly so you can change and warm up.” Percival walks off, then a moment later Elyan grabs a guilty-looking Gwaine by the crook of the arm in tow. As they head to the horses Elyan berates Gwaine with something to the effect of, “…took the joke too far,” and “…looks like you scared Merlin half to death!”

Merlin stands alone in the clearing, shuddering in Percival’s large cloak like a child. He takes a moment to regain himself and walks halfway up the hill, but something stops him. Despite the terror still beating in his chest, he glances back at the well. The presence was now fading, but he could still feel a lingering memory of the icy sensation against his cold skin. He grimaces then abruptly turns and runs off, wishing he could only forget the bloody images and screams which were replaying over and over within the dark recesses of his brain.

\---

As the knights ride back to Camelot, none of them dared deride Merlin. News of Gwaine’s scare had permeated the small group before wet, trembling Merlin had saddled onto his horse, and Arthur and his knights collectively agreed to drop the hunt and go straight back to Camelot. The knights silently steal looks at Merlin as they rode along, not quite sure if they should say anything or to just leave the boy be. But Merlin didn't seem to even notice their plight; he doesn’t say a word as their horses walked along, thinking hard about something and absorbed in his own world. Arthur fiddles with his saddle and debates whether to try a bit of banter to lighten the atmosphere, but after a little thinking he chooses against it. After the many years of knowing his manservant, the one thing he learned was a quiet Merlin was often not meant to be trifled with. 

The company soon reach the steps of the castle of Camelot and Arthur surprisingly dismisses Merlin from his duties for the rest of the day. Merlin gives a sharp nod then dismounts, quickly handing his horse’s reins to one of the stable boys. 

He briskly walks toward Gaius’ chambers, sneezing and shivering with cold, still wrapped in Percival’s red cloak. No matter what thoughts he tried to distract himself with, the clamor of screams still resounded in his ears. He covers his ears with his hands and picks up his pace. He rounds a corner too hastily and collides into someone. The two both fall, and the other drops a basket of laundry. 

“Sorry!” The two both say in unison. 

“Oh, Merlin! I didn’t recognize you in the coat!”

Merlin looks up to see Gwen, smiling. Thankfully, the screams seem to quiet down a little.

“Oh!” Merlin blushes, “Percival lent it to me—I kind of fell into a well.”

_“Merlin!”_

“It wasn’t entirely my fault, Gwaine and the others scared me and I well, slipped in…”

Gwen gives him a chiding glance, but then grabs her laundry basket, shuffles through her load, grabs a towel and puts it over Merlin’s head. Merlin is delighted to find the towel was warmed.

“Don’t worry, it’s clean. It’s the king’s but, I’m sure he won’t notice one missing for the day. Now, go and get warmed up, okay? I won't let you hear the end of it if you let yourself get sick.” She squeezes Merlin’s shoulder and grins. She then heaves the basket up onto her hip and walks off with a wave. 

Merlin gives a small smile. Thank the gods for a friend like Gwen. 

Merlin returns to the physicians quarters to find Gaius not there. He changes out of his wet tunic into something dry and sits in front of the fire wrapped in a blanket and the towel, but finds that while he was finally warm, he couldn’t quite get the chill out of his bones.  
Sounds of the visions came swarming back into his brain, and he tried to calm himself. He knew they would go away, things like this always did, with time. And whatever the well showed him, he could at least tell that it was in the past. 

He tried to console himself with that fact, and that nothing that he saw was going to come to pass, but it didn’t seem to help.

\---

Merlin walks through a dark expansive plane. There was no sun, or moon, or even sky, just darkness. The ground was black and was flooded with water just above his ankles. He trudges through the water, looking around. He keeps walking, for maybe minutes or possibly hours, when he hears a sob behind him. 

He turns to see a small child sitting in the water, crying into his knees. Merlin walks toward the boy and kneels down to his level.

“Hey…it’s okay…What’s wrong?” Merlin says, gently.

The boy picks up his head, eyes glowing gold. Merlin’s eyes grow wide.

“Please…I can’t do it by myself. Will you help me?” the boy cries.

Merlin hesitates, a bit confused, but smiles. “Whatever it is, I can try.” Merlin stands up, offering his hand to lift up the boy. The little boy smiles, and a small hand grabs Merlin’s arm.

A cold chill shoots through Merlin's body. He immediately senses a presence that felt _wrong_, it felt like _death_. The boy’s form flickers between human form and a black silhouette with pitch black holes for eyes.

Merlin’s heart races. “Let go!” He tries to pull away, but the boy’s hand holds his like a vice grip. The grip clamps harder and harder onto Merlin’s arm, and Merlin grunts in pain.

“You _will_ help me.”

The black world fades into blue. Merlin screams and jerks up in his bed, moonlight shining against his face. He gasps heavily, hand cradling his arm. He tries to recall the dream that woke him, but as soon as he tried to remember, the dream left him. Though, through the haze, one thing he could faintly recall was the touch of a hand as cold as ice.

\---

Gaius bustles around his workshop beginning his physic duties for the day, having finished his breakfast nearly thirty minutes ago. He steals a glance back at his ward’s door, wondering when he’ll finally get up. While Merlin had a bad habit of waking up late, this morning’s peculiar tardiness was overly belated, even for him. 

As if on cue, Merlin slowly opens his bedroom door, still in his bedclothes, and hobbles into the room with a big yawn. 

“Hello Gaius …”

Gaius greets Merlin with an arched eyebrow. “You slept in late this morning.”

“Oh, yeah…I had a nightmare last night," he yawns again, "I couldn’t get much sleep.”

“Nightmare?”

“Mhm, don’t remember any details though.” He sits down at the table and begins spooning his cold breakfast. His head nods several times.

Gaius sighs “Here. This is a tincture which should help you stay awake enough to fulfill your duties for the day.”

“Ah, thanks Gaius.” He downs a small vial of blackish liquid and shudders due to the strong taste. He quickly finishes his breakfast, puts on his boots and gets up to walk out the door.

“Merlin?”

“Ah, yes?” The door was half open.

“I don’t think Arthur would think it professional tending to him in your night clothes, would he?”

Merlin looks down, eyes widening and turns a shade of red. “No, I don’t think he would.” He briskly walks back to his room to change.

Gaius shakes his head and wonders if he should give Merlin two doses of the tincture just to be safe.

\---

Merlin clambers around Arthur’s room, a bit slower than his typical slothfulness. Moreover, he seemed to yawn every thirty seconds. 

Arthur finally looks up from his desk work. “Would you stop that? You’re going to make _me_ fall asleep with all your incessant yawning!”

“Oh, sorry. Had a nightmare last night, haven’t gotten much sleep.” _ No retort _and_ honesty, _Arthur thinks._ Merlin _must_ be tired. _Arthur eyes his servant precariously, then shakes his head. He takes a glance at his candle clock, to see that it was already time for knight’s training, or a little past time really. He gets up.

“Merlin, aren’t you forgetting something?”

The manservant looks up from fixing Arthur’s bed, and glances around confused.

“Something _important?_ I dunno, Knight practice perhaps?”

“Oh! Is it time already? Sorry, I’ll get your armor.” The young man stumbles but grabs Arthur’s armor quickly and begins to suit him up. He just about finishes when Arthur says, “Merlin.”

“Yeah?”

“The cuirass is on backwards!”

“Oh—Sorry!”

“And stop saying sorry!”

Merlin yawns, _“Soorry…”_

After Merlin readjusts the plate Arthur huffs. “Do us both a favor and get a good night’s sleep tonight for gods’sake!” Arthur calls over his shoulder just as he runs out the door to practice, leaving Merlin to finish cleaning his quarters as well as finish a particularly large yawn. 

\---

The sun had just set and Gaius was contently grounding several herbs when Merlin walks into the physician’s chambers.  


“How was today?” Gaius looks up to see Merlin stifle a yawn. Gaius raises a brow. “Are you sure you aren’t getting sick?” He walks over to his ward, putting a hand up to his brow. 

“No, just a little tired from not sleeping well last night, and have a little headache is all.”

“Did something happen yesterday while on the hunt?”

Merlin shudders, composure slipping for one brief moment, but then covers it with a shrug. 

“Nothing really.” 

Gaius purses his lips. Though Merlin tried to hide it, Gaius could just about always tell when his ward was holding _something_ back. Granted there were many things that Merlin stubbornly resolved to keep to himself, despite Gaius trying his best to give the young man a safe place to talk about anything that troubled him, especially if it had to do with magic.

“Although,” Merlin adds, “I did get a bit soaked yesterday—_it was the Knights’ fault, not mine, I assure you_—I tried to dry off when I got back but I dunno, maybe it stayed with me?” He gives a nervous laugh. 

Gaius sighs and pinches his brow. For all the young man’s knowledge and gifts you think he would have used a spell to dry himself off as to not catch a cold.

“I’ll make you some medicinal tea.” Gaius says as he shuffles off, shaking his head. “Make sure to get to bed early tonight and get a goodnight’s sleep. If you are coming down with something that’s the best way to fight it.” Gaius says, handing the young man a warm cup.

“Okay…" Merlin huffs, showing a bit of annoyance being treated as a child. "You know me Gaius, I never get sick! I’m sure whatever it is, it’ll blow over,” Merlin says with a grin, taking a sip of the soothing tea. 

\---

In the next few days, Merlin’s sleeplessness does not blow over; it only gets progressively worse. Where first Merlin had only gotten one nightmare, now he was experiencing several a night. Fitful sleep would give way to jerking up sweat-ridden in his bed, only to realize a moment later that he couldn’t pinpoint what had woken him up in the first place.

After a few nights of incessant waking, he even began to notice that his magic had started to leak out while he was dreaming—books and other items would fly off the walls, winds would coalesce, and the room would shake with an angry tremor, soon forcing him awake. In a panic he would try to reign his uncontrolled magic in, the magical storm in his heart and his room finally subsiding once he got his breathing under control once again. 

As time went on, he began to fear exposure if he nodded off around Arthur or Gwen or anyone else during his daily duties, and even became convinced that falling asleep around Gaius could be potentially dangerous. 

Therefore he resolved to keep himself awake as much as he could during the day, through sheer willpower, Gaius’ tinctures, and maybe by little bits of magic here and there. Soon, he developed a formula: any sleep he did get was only whenever he found any down time to himself, taking quick naps throughout the day, and methodical times in the night. Each strategically short enough to earn some limited form of respite but not long enough to incur dreams. For several days, to Merlin worked this way; his days of attending Arthur and doing rounds for Gauis flowing like a blur as he lived in what felt like a perpetual, yet safe fog. He commended himself on the successfulness of his routine, but even as his eyes fluttered closed as he sat down polishing Arthur's armour in his room, in the back of his mind, he realized that one slip up would undo his meticulous planning, and he could soon find himself spiraling into the world of dreams...

\---

Merlin's eyes grow wide as the murky water swells. 

“I don't understand...we’re the same, you and I. We both have magic. You should want to help me.”

“No, what you want, it isn’t the right way. It will only spread more hatred for magic!” Merlin tries to pull away, but the water is at his shoulders now, and the boy’s grip is too strong.

“There is no ‘right’ way, this is the only way. You’ll see. I know you’ll help me.” The waters continue to rise, until it covers Merlin’s mouth, then head. He holds his breath underneath the murky water, but the boy knows he can’t hold it forever. The boy knows with a little bit of time Emrys would realize, like _he_ had that day. In the end, he would want to help him. The silhouette smiles, hopeful.

\---

On the sixth night since the nightmares had persisted, Gaius is woken with a jerk when he hears glass shatter in his physician’s chambers.

He throws off his covers, with a little effort rolls off his cot, opens the door of his personal room and peeks his head into the dark. The moon shining through the small window of the physician’s chambers lit up the room with a faint blue glow. The older man could make out the visage of someone—no, his ward doddering around in the dark.

“Merlin? What on earth are you doing up at this hour?”

“The nightmares h’v got’n worse.” 

“And what does that have to do with you stumbling around my chambers?”

“Don’t want to sleep. Have to stay awake…” The old man notices the young man searching the shelves for a waking potion not unlike the one he had given him a few days ago.

“Merlin.” Merlin doesn’t answer and continues to pick up and clumsily knock over several vials.

_“Merlin. Sit.”_ Gaius grabs ahold of Merlin’s shoulders and sits him at the table bench. The old man takes a seat beside him. The old man gives him an ornery stare. His ward looks back sleepily, but his heavy eyelids begin to fall. Gaius lifts Merlin’s drooping head in his hands and gently says, “Merlin, you must get some sleep. You can’t stay awake, you can’t function like this.”

“I can’t…’f I do, I’ll just have those nightmares ‘gain.” Merlin says, eyes nearly closed. “I can’t Gaius…they’re too horrible…’f I fall asleep, I feel like I’ll be trapped, won’t be able to wake ‘p…” His eyebrows knit together with worry before his head lolls to the side, but Gaius picks it up before he could nod off again. 

“Oh Merlin…” Gaius coos with a sad smile, and gets up. The old man dodders and grabs a vial then sits back down next to Merlin.

“Here, this will help you stay asleep and get a good night’s rest.”

“No…please Gaius…” His ward pushes the small bottle away.

“Alright…” Gaius shifts over the table and pretends to exchange the vial for another then turns back around, “Here. This one will help you stay awake, alright?” He says gently.

Merlin nods, (purposefully this time,) and downs the vial.

“Woa, that tasted different than I thought it would…”

Gaius puts his hands on the boy’s shoulders and lifts him up. The boy stands wobbly, and Gaius guides him up the stairs back into his room.

“Here, how about you sit against your bed? That way you can read a book from your nightstand if you get tired.”

“Yeah…yeah that sounds good.” Gaius helps Merlin sit, then slowly lay down on the bed as his eyelids close, the sleeping vial now taking full effect. 

The boy soon falls asleep, face peaceful for the first time in many nights, and doesn’t stir. Gaius pulls the covers over him, ruffles the boy’s black feathery hair, and walks out of the room.

Gaius glances back at his ward. The young man looked so much more his age when asleep, as if all the weight of his power and destiny became a distant memory, even if for but a short period of time. 

He smiles and closes the door. “Sweet dreams, Merlin.” 

\---

Warm sunlight filters inside the physician’s chambers as Gaius cooks breakfast over a small fire, when he hears his ward’s door open.

“Merlin! How are you doing?” 

His ward gives a long look around the chambers, then sits down at the table. “Great.” 

“Good! I’m glad. You look much better. Looks like that sleeping tonic paid off then.” 

“What tonic?”

Gaius coughs, and sets a bowl in front of Merlin in a diverting manor. “Now, hurry and eat your breakfast. Wouldn’t want to be late serving the king again now would we?”

“No…” Merlin’s eyes narrow and he seems to think to himself. After one bite, he gets up to leave, walking to the door.

“Aren’t you going to eat Merlin?”

“No, I’ll eat later.”

“Are you sure you’re not feeling well?”

Merlin stops short in the open doorway, then turns. His unmarked expression suddenly bends into a smile and says, “I’m feeling much better, don't worry. Just have some errands to run first. I’ll grab some breakfast afterwards.” Then like an apparition, the young man disappears behind the closing door.

Gaius tilts his head, but shrugs and sits down to eat his porridge. 

\---

Merlin enters the king’s chambers a bit more silently that he usually did. Normally Arthur could hear him crashing or fumbling down the hallway, but only the sound of the door’s creaking gave any indication his manservant had entered the room.

Merlin walks quietly along toward Arthur’s bed, only to notice he wasn’t there. He hears the scribble of plumage on parchment to see that Arthur is already dressed and is writing at his desk.

“You’re awake…?” Merlin says, quite surprised.

“Yes, Merlin I’m up. I _am_ capable of assigning another servant to wake me be it my lazy manservant hasn’t been on time this whole week. Honestly _Mer_-lin, I’ve never met a more incapable drudge.” Arthur says, feigning scornfulness.

Merlin frowns. 

“You _are_ feeling better though, are you?”

“What do you mean?”

Arthur continues looking at his parchment but Merlin almost senses a hint of worry in his voice. 

“You’ve looked unwell for the last few days.”

“Had I?…” Merlin’s mind wanders. “Well, I feel much better, My Lord.”

“Good.” Arthur smiles, his countenance relaxing. “Then, you won’t mind polishing my armor, cleaning my room and mucking out the stables today, now would you?” He says smugly.

“Of course not, _sire_.” Merlin glowers but doesn’t retort.

Arthur raises an eyebrow but shakes it off and continues to write as Merlin cleans his room.

After some time Arthur lets his mind meander a bit while he hears Merlin silently shuffling things around his room, and begins to work on some task behind him. Arthur leans back in his chair tired from writing, and stretches. He yells over his shoulder, “It’s strange to hear you be less flippant today Merlin, have you finally decided to act like a normal servant?” He smirks and laughs to himself, but there’s no reply. 

Arthur’s eyes catch a hint of red and blue movement reflected in the metal water chalice on his desk. He absently watches the abstract figure move back and forth behind him. Just when he is about to look away, the red and blue slowly raise a stripe of glinting silver. Arthur gasps and turns around just in time to see Merlin raising Arthur’s sword over his head. 

The king jumps and scrambles out of his chair before a blow connects with his wooden desk. He clambers on all fours backwards and gets to his feet. 

“Merlin! What the hell are you—" Arthur’s stops as he sees a strange iciness in his manservant’s eyes which send a shiver down his spine.

“If this is a joke Merlin, it’s not funny!” He says, backing up.

Merlin walks forward and swings again. Arthur steps back, narrowly dodging it and grabs a small chair to act as a shield.

Was this really his manservant?! Merlin swung the sword with much more weight and precision than he had ever seen the young man capable of. The blows connected hard against his makeshift shield, bruising Arthur’s arm and fracturing the wood. 

If Merlin didn’t let up, he would be forced to go to the offensive in order to protect himself. But he couldn’t fight Merlin—this had to be a farce, some sick joke where the boy would suddenly stop, laugh stupidly and give that goofy smile of his. 

But Merlin did not stop, if anything he swung harder and the chair shattered. Merlin kicks out another chair which tangles with Arthur’s moving feet and he falls backwards onto the stone floor.

“Guards!—Merlin, stop!—What’re you…! Are you trying to _kill_ me?”

“Death is what you deserve, O King. For allowing so many of our people to die.” Once again that icy stare permeates Arthur’s being, and he can’t quite wrap his mind around his situation. 

“Merlin—" he was frozen, mouth agape, unable to move. He _ought_ to stop—this is Merlin we’re talking about.

But the young man steps forward, towering above the king. Merlin readies his sword, swiftly drawing it back for a final blow when a metallic ring sounds. The young man winces in pain before dropping the sword and crumpling to the ground. Arthur is surprised to see Gwen directly behind where Merlin had stood, holding a heavy decorative shield from the wall, panting.

Arthur lets out a breath, his eyes meeting a worried Gwen’s, and then looks back to his unconscious manservant.

“How did you—" 

“I was passing by when I heard you call for the guards, but they must have been dismissed by someone, no one was outside the door, I….What happened?”

Arthur breathes in heavily. “…I don’t know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was so much fun writing the interactions between Gaius and Merlin. Gaius tries to be a good dad, he really does.  
It's just this time he kinda messed up and made his ultra-powerful nephew susceptible to a malevolent spirit's possession by "helping" him get some sleep. Meh, well Merlin would have gotten possessed sooner or later anyways though, he wouldn't have been able to fight it off forever.
> 
> I'm used to writing third-person limited so writing this story with something closer to third-person omnipresent felt a little less personable interestingly.  

> 
> *8/22 Update: ummm hitting some snags story wise so hope I can post the next chapter soon, thanks for your patience!*


	2. Revelations

Three worried faces watch the unconscious young man locked within a dirty dungeon cell with trepidation.

"Gaius, this _can’t_ be Merlin." Gwen shakes her head.

"As far as I can see, it is."

"He tried to kill me!—Merlin! He would never…" Arthur bellows, hitting the stone wall hard with the side of his fist, internally conflicted and hurt.

Gaius nods. "I know sire. He wouldn’t. Not of his own volition." 

"Gaius, what are you saying…?"

Gaius gives him a determined look. "He must be bewitched somehow."

Gwen looks pensively toward the ground. "Gaius, you don't think...it could be the fomorroh?" 

"No, it should have been destroyed.."

"But if Morgana somehow had a way of growing it back?"

"Fomorroh?" Arthur asks nose crinkled, confused.

Gwen and Gaius share a look. Gaius sighs. "Morgana bewitched Merlin a few months ago with the intent to assassinate you, my Lord."

Arthur’s eyes widen. "_What?_ You _can’t_ be serious…" He looks between Gwen and Gaius nervously laughing, to see their straight faces only confirmed what he could only believe must be a sick joke. His stomach drops and his brows knit in worry.

"_Why the hell did you never tell me?_ Or Merlin, he—"

"Was returned to himself. Gwen helped me…nurse him back to health. After the ordeal I was sure that the bewitchment was dealt with…or, so I thought." He pensively holds his chin.

"…_Do_ you think that Morgana could be behind this, that that fomorroh thing could have bewitched Merlin, again?" Arthur asks worriedly.

Gaius sighs. "I am unsure my Lord, I would have to inspect Merlin to know for sure."

"Please do whatever you need to Gaius, I want—"

"My King! A young guard interjects, running up to Arthur. "Your presence is requested immediately by the council."

Arthur sighs, and waves him off. "Thank you." The man returns to his position somewhere outside the dungeon.

"The council will not be happy about all this. Regardless of whether or not Merlin had control over his actions, the council will want to push some form of punishment. I will try my best to stall the council and delay any sentence until you have the evidence you need to prove Merlin's innocence." Arthur says in a low voice.

Gwen takes Arthur's hand. "I’ll come with you. I don’t know what I can do, but I will try my best to help." Gwen straightens up confidently. 

Arthur gives a small thankful smile. 

"Your council is always welcome Guinevere." Arthur's eyes flit back to the physician. "Let me know of any new information you have as soon as possible Gaius." Arthur and Gwen head out. Gaius turns to the cell where Merlin lay, unconscious.

Arthur walks quickly down the hall leading outside the dungeon with Gwen at his side. Neither speak, each retreating deep within their own worried thoughts, but Gwen wraps a hand around Arthur’s arm comfortingly. His tight posture loosens, and gives her a troubled smile, she returns the gesture along with a small squeeze.

Arthur's heart was filled with a pang of both appreciation and hurt. It felt so reassuring to know that he could always count on Gwen. She had always been there for him at his lowest, and openly gave him advice and wisdom that he couldn't live without. Just like Merlin. The young man had always been so attentive to him, immediately knowing when he had something on his mind, or was having a bad day, or duly announced when he was 'being a prat' as much as he hated to hear it but needed to. 

Growing up, Arthur had prided himself on his innate ability to read people. He could tell fairly quickly if one was trustworthy, if they were of honest grain. But after meeting his manservant, Arthur suddenly realized that having the ability to determine the quality of a person's character didn't seem nearly as impressive as understanding their feelings or mood. Which, had always been harder for him to personally address and was therefore taken for granted and shoved into the back corner of his mind, along with everyone else's feelings. And while he realized that, he made no effort to change. 

And now, look where that got him....How could he have been so utterly _blind_ not to notice—to _acknowledge_ how Merlin was acting differently? How could he have allowed himself to remain ignorant? How could Merlin always be there for him, and he wasn't there for Merlin when it counted? 

At that moment, the two hear bounding footsteps coming from the adjacent hall. Gwen discreetly pulls away her hand. Leon runs around the corner, catching his breath. Arthur nods in acknowledgement and continues to walk. Leon follows in-stride, matching the king's pace. Gwen allows herself to fall behind the two deferentially as normal servants would, despite knowing Leon wouldn’t mind her walking alongside the two.

"Arth—_Sire,_ I’ve been looking for you. We-we just heard what happened. Merlin…he—"

"Is under an enchantment."

Leon blanches, and then nods slowly after a few moments. "That would make sense…Merlin is loyal to a fault, he would never do anything to hurt you, or anyone really for that matter." 

"If only the council will believe that," Arthur scoffs.

Leon stares at the stones beneath his feet. 

"It will be difficult to persuade them. And even if you could convince them, I wouldn’t doubt that half would still want him to…be punished for what he did regardless."

Arthur scowls. "We must convince them of his innocence, or in the least, forestall them until we can find the proof that can."

Leon’s eyes go wide. _"You've yet to find proof?"_

Arthur's mouth twitches for a quick moment but he keeps his gaze forward. "For now I can vouch for his character, as can you. You said it yourself. It is not within Merlin to rise up against me." 

An idea dawns on Leon's face. "Do you think…you don't think Morgana could have?—"

Gwen speaks up. "Possibly…but we’re not sure. Gaius is checking Merlin’s ‘condition;’ he is to report to Arthur as soon as we have any information as to what is ailing him, and if he may be under her control…"

"While I do not know of a better alternative, let us hope that _that_ at least is not the case..." Leon says, nodding to Gwen.

The three appear before the loud council chamber entrance and burst through the tall wooden doors. The chorus of shouting men quiet at seeing their king. Arthur squares his shoulders, and walks forward to sit in his chair at the head of the long rectangle table while Gwen walks past to stand with the other awaiting servants, and Leon follows closely behind to soon sit at Arthur’s lefthand side as the doors of the chamber begin to close, and voices of the council begin to raise once more.

\---

Gaius takes in a shallow breath, and strides into the dark cell as the door is locked by a guard behind him. Merlin had been sat up against the wall, his hands and feet shackled together. Gaius was pained to see the boy in such a state. While he had nightmares of it before, seeing Merlin in the dungeon now, imprisoned, caused his heart to catch in his throat. 

For these last few years that he had taken Merlin under his supervision, it was all that he had to help diffuse suspicion of the boy’s abilities—his identity, to keep something like this from ever coming to pass. Gaius' lips quaver, but he soon collects himself. It was for this crime he knew Merlin is innocent; once he is able to find the source of the bewitchment, Merlin will be freed. Being in shackles…a pyre soon to be lit…this _won’t_ happen to his great-nephew again.

He first inspects the young man’s pulse and other vitals, checks for any physical lacerations, (however everything checked out to be normal), then inspects the nape of his neck. He finds no discoloration nor protrusions. The fomorrah was gone. He breathes a quick sigh of relief, but then began wracking his brain for what the new possibilities could be.

He thinks about his ward’s behavior within the last week, and his nightmares…something felt off and yet somewhat familiar but he couldn’t quite place it yet. Despite his reservations, the one thing that would be the most helpful would be to speak to Merlin; bewitched or not, he may be able to glean some clues of what brought on his enchantment.

Gaius slides his medicine bag over, and takes out a bag of smelling salt, and wafts it beneath Merlin’s tucked chin. In that moment, Merlin began to cough then stir. Gaius takes in a steady breath, mentally preparing for whatever may come.  


Merlin slowly opens his eyes, then takes in his surroundings and surveys the weights on his wrists and feet fearfully. Then he notices Gaius kneeling by him. 

"Gaius? What am I doing here?" Merlin says, voice mumbly and alarmed. 

"You tried to kill the king."

"What? No, I, I wouldn’t…" Merlin’s eyes widen in panic and confusion.

"I know, I know…I’m here to help you. I need to ask you some questions to help prove your innocence, all right? First, you must tell me: What happened the day you started getting nightmares?"

Merlin gives a perplexed look, possibly questioning the relevance of the question, but then closes his eyes. "I—I don’t know, he shakes his head, I don’t remember…He opens his eyes and blanches. Gaius, they’re not going to kill me—aren’t they?" 

"Merlin, everything will be alright. For now I need you to remember; think harder. What happened that day?" 

"…We…the knights went hunting…then we came back empty-handed." He closes his eyes and shakes his head, unable to remember more. He then leans forward, whispering, "Gaius, please, if what you said was true, you must unshackle me—I can get out and run away as far as I can to get away from the king, it’s the only way to keep him safe!" he pleads.

"What _else_ happened?"

Merlin’s face contorts, visibly frustrated. "Something—_scary_ happened, but I don’t remember!—Gaius, you will let me out of here, won't you?…"

Gaius doesn’t blink. "I can’t do that Merlin. You are going to stay in here until we guarantee the king will be safe." Gaius says calmly.

Merlin’s eyes flit back and forth in dismay, searching for any possible capitulation in Gaius’ face, but the old man remains firm. Suddenly, Merlin's worried expression changes. His mouth drops into a slack line and he slowly leans back against the cold stone, any semblance of emotion receding from his eyes so that only ice was left. The young defiantly lifts his chin, and doesn’t break eye-contact, leering a venomous glare at the old man that could kill. The polar reverse in act causes Gaius’ hairs to stick on end. 

_This was not Merlin._

The young man slowly leans forward on his chains, saying, "You must free me. I must be _avenged."_

"…Who are you?"

"One who demands justice for Camelot’s king's atrocities." 

"What did the king do?"

The question lights a spark of wild rage in Merlin’s eyes. "It’s his fault! He took everything from me! _I will never forgive him!"_ His last sentence escapes like the cry of a child. Suddenly the small dungeon begins to tremor angrily and dust falls upon their heads. The power of the quake grows and Gaius falls on his hands, looking around in fear. His eyes meet with Merlin’s, to find that they were beginning to flicker with gold. 

Gaius’ eyes grow wide.

A moment later Merlin’s his shackles break off, and he stands, smiling in awe, analyzing his hands as if studying newfound digits. His eyes wink back and forth between blue and gold.

_"Wait!—"_

Merlin holds out a hand in warning, eyes momentarily staying golden.

"Emrys is going to help me—don’t interfere." 

Gaius pales. Merlin brings up his other hand and the dungeon door swings open. He walks outside, and guards from across the room jump at the loud bang in surprise and fear, but soon rally to rush him. Merlin opens his palm, and all the guards go flying, hitting the stone walls then crumple to the ground. 

Merlin walks slowly toward the men with unforgiving eyes set like a predator unfinished with his prey. In one quick motion he curls the fingers of his outstretched hand into a fist, as to crush the hearts of his enemies. 

But, nothing happens. He looks at his hands in confusion, before his head whips to his left, beginning to hear the roar of fresh guardsman's shouts, ones who had undoubtedly heard the commotion downstairs. The warlock glowers angrily then turns and quickly walks through the dungeon’s archway, disappearing into the shadows without giving the old man in the cell a second glance. 

It’s when he is out of sight that Gaius remembers he can move again. He falls gasping to his knees. 

_What on earth was he going to tell King Arthur?_

\---

Heavy wooden doors open. "Sire! I must speak with you." Gaius walks briskly into the council room, council still in progress.

Arthur looks up from his seat. "Does this have something to do with the quake?"

"…Um, in a way sire. I bring urgent news from the dungeons."

Arthur’s eyes grow wide. "The council is dismissed. We will meet again shortly." Arthur immediately gets up and Gwen and Gaius follow him out the wooden doors. The trio follow Arthur for several minutes through the halls until they arrive at his chambers, where he knew they could hold a conversation in private.

"What has happened Gaius, is this something to do with Merlin?"

"I’m…afraid so sire. He, Merlin escaped."

Gwen gasps in shock and Arthur does a double take.

_"How—"_

Gaius cuts Arthur off. "Please allow me to start from the beginning sire; shortly after you left, I went to analyze Merlin in the cell—"

"The fomorroh?"

"There was none. Neither were there any indications of any other physical illness or ailments. Merlin awoke shortly after my inspection, and I spoke with him, and then he escaped. It is through our interaction that believe I have learned what happened to him…" He pauses.

"It is my belief, that he has been possessed by a dybbuck; a vengeful spirit."

"A spirit?"

"Yes, I believe it attached itself to him the day of your hunt, My Lord. That’s right before he started having nightmares…" Gaius cuts off, realizing something. _Merlin must have been subconsciously fighting off the spirit in his sleep without realizing it, poor boy. If it were a normal person, they’d have been possessed immediately after encountering such an entity…_

"How does one become possessed by a…" Arthur stammers.

"A dybbuk?" Gwen finishes helpfully.

"One must come into direct contact with the spirit or something they owned in life. So, Arthur, you must tell me, what happened on the day of the hunt? Is there anything that Merlin could have come in contact with that could have housed a spirit?"

"Right, well, the Knights, Merlin and I went riding toward the Darkling woods from Camelot at dawn. We couldn’t find game for a few hours so we stopped. Then we found a…I forget what Merlin called it—an abandoned druid site? It had many strung cloths everywhere."

Gaius’ eyes widened. A site? No, this place had been a druid shrine. "What happened after that? What did Merlin touch?" 

"He didn’t touch anything that I know of…if anything he was trying to _avoid_ touching anything."

"Please Arthur, you must remember. Think of anything that happened then, that could have—"

"He fell into a well!" Gwen exclaims. "When he came back from the hunt he had been drenched, and looked a bit sick and told me what happened. The spirit must be connected to the well."

Gaius’ eyes close in realization. "It must have died there. A druid spirit.” That’s _why the entity knew Merlin’s identity when it had spoken with him. It had been a druid. Not just that, but the way the spirit had acted, it seemed as if it were a mere child. Gods._

Gaius sighs. "Then, I’m afraid my suspicions are correct. Merlin disturbed a resting place and was possessed by the dybbuk that resided in the well." 

"So, what can cure possession? There must be a way, must be some potion or herb that can heal the person, _something,_ right? "Arthur paces and ruffles a hand through his hair.

"I’m afraid not. There is no _medicinal_ cure that I am aware of…the most common way vengeful spirits leave their host is once their last desire in death is fulfilled…"

"Why then did it use Merlin to try to specifically target Arthur?" Gwen asks, afraid.

Gaius shakes his head. "The druid spirit said that it wanted be ‘avenged,’ wanted justice by ‘the king’; it could have been referring to King Uther, it was he who led the massacres on all the druid camps. Arthur has not raided any camps during his reign."

Gaius looks to Arthur. The young king shakes his head slowly in confirmation. 

"So it mistook Arthur for King Uther?" 

"If the spirit is that of a young child, depending on its age, it possibly wouldn’t understand the difference…" Gaius holds his chin, deep in thought. Arthur grimaces and looks pensively at Gaius. 

The three think in silence for a few moments.

Gwen sends a suspect look toward Gaius "…earlier you said that the _‘most common way’_ to rid a dybbuk is by allowing them to fulfill their desire, so, are…are there any other possible ways to release a dybbuk from a person?" Gwen asks.

Gaius sighs. "As far as I have read, there is only one other way to release the spirit…"

"What?"

"The death of their host."

_"No, not_ going to happen." Arthur says pointedly. 

"I agree." Gaius says, gently.

"But, you said that is as far as you know, correct? Is there a possibility that there be another way, something in your books?" Gwen thinks out-loud.

"It may be possible. There are many old…_hidden_ texts I have not had the chance to go though that may hold an answer."

"Then we must find them and search for an alternative." Arthur says.

The others nod in agreement.

"In the meantime sire, you must take caution." Gaius says.

"Why?"

"The way Merlin escaped…" Gaius swallowed hard. "he...he used magic."

Gwen and Arthur stand flabbergasted.

_"Magic?"_

Gaius’ brow furrows. "I’m afraid so sire…he-he—"

Gaius, Arthur gives a serious look, "…wait, is that…a _symptom_ of being possessed by a druid?"

Gaius gives a quizzical stare.

Arthur continues, "It is well known that most druids practice magic; with Merlin being possessed by one, it is reasonable to think that the spirit can use Merlin as a conduit for its magic, is it not?" 

Gaius blinks. "Y-yes sire, with Merlin not having shown the ability to perform magic of his own, that is the only plausible answer." Gaius mentally exhales a large breath of relief. The one time that the King is makes a perceptive observation about magic, is thankfully the one time he happens to be only half-correct.

"Then, he could teleport, appear to attack me at anytime?"

"I’m glad to say it’s not quite that simple. Things like teleportation are incredibly difficult to learn, and master. If my theory is correct, and if Merlin is in fact possessed by a young druid, then the child should only have rudimentary magical knowledge and abilities.” _Though,_ thinks Gaius, _with their conduit being Emrys however, the depth of the youth's magical reserves would practically be untirable and its power undoubtably amplified, even if the druid could only use rudimentary spells. We can only hope and pray that the spirit is not powerful or smart enough to learn how to tap into Merlin’s own magical knowledge or instinct, and ascertain how to control it. If it did..._

"But, with that being said," Gaius says, "even if his abilities are possibly limited, they should not be underestimated. I suggest that you double, even triple your guard around the castle and your person. Now that the dybbuk has escaped, I fear he will stay nearby to venture another attempt on your life." 

Arthur nods and swallows. "It shall be done."

"So, how soon can we begin research?" Gwen asks.

Gaius turns to Arthur. "Anytime my Lord wills it." 

"Then let’s begin right now." Arthur states, anxious to start.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Okay, full disclosure, I AM going to finish this. Just got some horrible writer’s block for what happens after this chapter.*  
Any ideas or suggestions for where you want this to be taken story wise/any plot suggestions are fair game! Please comment below!


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